telc Deutsch B1·B2 Pflege: What the Exam Tests and How to Prepare
The telc Deutsch B1·B2 Pflege is a German language exam designed for nurses and care workers with a foreign qualification who need to prove their German to work in Germany. Instead of general topics (holidays, hobbies), it tests German in nursing situations: patient conversations, handovers, documentation. It is offered at levels B1 and B2, and a single sitting can certify either, depending on your score.
Check before you book: which certificate is accepted for your professional recognition depends on the federal state (Bundesland), the authority handling your case and the type of procedure. Some states accept a general B2 exam (Goethe, telc, ÖSD) for nursing recognition, others require or prefer a specialist exam. Ask your recognition authority which certificates they accept, in writing, before paying for any exam.
Who takes this exam
- Nurses (Pflegefachkräfte) and care workers with a qualification from abroad, seeking recognition in Germany
- Applicants whose recognition procedure requires proof of language ability at B1 or B2
- People who want language proof that matches their job, even if a general exam would also be accepted
For the level nursing requires and how the route works, see what level of German nurses need in Germany.
The structure
The exam tests the four skills (reading, listening, writing and speaking) in a nursing context. According to the Goethe-Institut’s description of the exam:
| Part | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Reading, listening and language elements | Paper-based, about 85 minutes in total |
| Writing | About 30 minutes. You choose one of two options, an admission report or a biographical report, based on a case description |
| Speaking | Three parts, described below |
Check the current telc information for exact timings, since formats are updated from time to time.
The oral exam: three parts
- Part 1: Talking about experiences and opinions. You describe a picture connected to nursing and answer follow-up questions from the examiner.
- Part 2: Short presentation and questions. You give a short talk on a topic from your work and answer the examiner’s questions.
- Part 3: Discussion with a partner. You and another candidate discuss a work-related situation.
What matters in each part: clear, structured German in a professional register, using nursing vocabulary correctly, and staying calm when you don’t understand something.
Vocabulary you need
Patient care and documentation
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Pflegeanamnese | nursing assessment |
| die Pflegedokumentation | nursing documentation |
| die Übergabe | shift handover |
| der Pflegebericht | nursing report |
| die Vitalzeichen | vital signs |
| der Blutdruck / der Puls / die Temperatur | blood pressure / pulse / temperature |
| die Medikamentengabe | administering medication |
| der Verbandwechsel | dressing change |
| die Lagerung | positioning (of a patient) |
| die Sturzprophylaxe | fall prevention |
| der Dekubitus | pressure ulcer |
| die Aufnahme / die Entlassung | admission / discharge |
| die Pflegekraft | nurse / care worker |
| der Angehörige | relative |
Typical sentences you will need
- Wie fühlen Sie sich heute? (How do you feel today?)
- Haben Sie Schmerzen? Wo genau? (Do you have pain? Where exactly?)
- Ich messe jetzt Ihren Blutdruck. (I’m going to measure your blood pressure now.)
- Ich muss Ihnen jetzt Ihre Tabletten geben. (I have to give you your tablets now.)
- Bitte drehen Sie sich zur Seite. (Please turn onto your side.)
- Der Patient hat heute Nacht gut geschlafen. (The patient slept well last night.)
- Bei der Übergabe habe ich berichtet, dass … (In the handover I reported that …)
There are 80 more in German phrases for nurses, and the vocabulary of roles in what is a nurse called in German.
Practise your German out loud with SipLingo, free to try on iPhone and Android:
How to prepare, by skill
Listening
Expect conversations between nurses, doctors and patients, and handover recordings. They are spoken at natural speed. Train with real nursing audio (handover simulations, patient conversations), not just textbook dialogues, and listen for numbers, times and medications.
Reading
Texts include care plans, patient files, instructions and professional notices. Learn the typical document structure: it helps to know where to look for an allergy or a medication list.
Writing
The writing task requires a structured report in formal German. Practise a template:
- Heading: patient details (age, sex, diagnosis)
- Reason for admission
- Current condition: vital signs, pain, mobility
- Social background: family, living situation
- Care measures and needs
Write in full sentences, in the present or Perfekt tense, and keep a professional tone. Practise with timed tasks. Thirty minutes is short for a full report, so speed matters.
Speaking
This is where most nurses lose points, not because they lack vocabulary but because they haven’t practised speaking about their job in German in an examination format. What to do:
- Describe your work in German. Ich arbeite auf einer chirurgischen Station. Zu meinen Aufgaben gehören die Medikamentengabe, die Pflegedokumentation und die Betreuung der Patienten.
- Practise a handover out loud: Frau Müller, 78 Jahre, wurde gestern mit einer Hüftfraktur aufgenommen. Sie hat starke Schmerzen, der Blutdruck ist stabil …
- Practise explaining a procedure to a patient in simple words.
- Practise discussions with a partner: staff shortages, night shifts, communicating with relatives.
A 10-week preparation plan (from B1 upwards)
| Weeks | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Nursing vocabulary (200 words with articles), read exam description and sample tests |
| 3 to 4 | Listening: handovers and patient dialogues, 20 minutes a day |
| 5 to 6 | Writing: two reports a week, corrected by a teacher or a partner |
| 7 to 8 | Speaking: daily practice of Parts 1 to 3, recorded |
| 9 | Full mock exam under timed conditions |
| 10 | Fix weak points, and rest before the exam |
If you’re starting below B1, plan longer. Our post how many hours to reach B1 German and how many hours to reach B2 show realistic timelines.
Common mistakes
- Learning general German only. Nursing-specific vocabulary and documents make a large difference.
- Ignoring speaking practice. Written skills improve with study, but speaking requires speaking.
- Not practising timed writing. The task needs a fully structured report in about 30 minutes.
- Using du with patients in practice dialogues. The default is Sie, unless a patient asks otherwise.
- Booking the exam before checking it’s accepted by your authority. Ask first.
- Mixing up cases in professional sentences: Ich gebe dem Patienten die Tabletten. (dative for the person, accusative for the thing). See the 4 German cases explained.
Practice speaking about your job
Most nurses know exactly what to do at a bedside, and struggle to say it in German at speed. Rehearse the sentences you say every day: assessing, explaining, reporting.
SipLingo has nursing and doctor’s-office scenarios among its 200+ everyday situations. You practise by voice, and get corrections in your own language, so you can rehearse patient conversations and handovers before the exam. It doesn’t replace official telc materials, but it gives you speaking hours. Try it free →
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- telc gGmbH: telc Deutsch B1·B2 Pflege – German exam for nurses – Nursing exam format, report-writing task, 16-min pair speaking, free mock exam
- Make it in Germany (Federal Government): Nursing professionals: recognition and German level – Recognition routes, B2 for licence, A2 for recognition partnership
Frequently asked questions
What is telc Deutsch B1·B2 Pflege?
A telc exam for nurses and care workers that tests German in nursing situations, and certifies B1 or B2.
Is telc Pflege accepted for nurse recognition?
It depends on the federal state and the authority. Ask your recognition authority which certificates they accept.
How is it different from the general telc B2 exam?
The tasks and topics are from the nursing workplace (patient talks, handovers, care documentation), not general life topics.
What does the speaking part of telc Pflege involve?
Three parts: discussing an experience or image with the examiner, a short presentation with questions, and a discussion with a partner.
How long should I prepare?
From B1, around 10 weeks of focused preparation is realistic. From a lower level, allow longer.
Practise nursing conversations out loud. SipLingo corrects your German as you talk, in your own language. A1 to B2.
